Semi-automatic pivot polisher



1952 J. E. R. MARKERT ETAL 2,614,465

' SEMIAUTOMATIC PIVOT POLISHER Filed April 23, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG 9 FIG.5

39 HI 7 J. aaussau, MARKERT 4| J. DONALD- SMITH ATTO R N EY Oct. 21, 1952 J. E. R. MARKERT ETAL 2,614,465

SEMIAUTOMATIC PIVOT POLISHER Filed April 25, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 J. E. RUSSELL MARKERT J. DONALD SMITH ATTY.

FIG.4

Oct. 21, 19 2 J. E. R. MARKERT ET AL 2,614,465

SEMIAUTOMATIC PIVOT POLISHER Filed April 25, 1949 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 J.E.RU$SELL MARKERT J. DONALD SMITH ATTO R N EY Patented Oct. 21, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE i i I 2;e14,4e5f I I a i .1

p I SEMLAUTOMATIC Pivo'r ronisrrim John E; Russell Markert, Lititz, and James Donald F Smith, Lancaster, 'Pa., assignors to l-I amilton Watch Company, Lancaster, Pa. "Application April 23, 1949, Serial No. 89,256 1 Claims. (01. 90-15) :This invention relates to an "automatic pivot burnis'hing machine and is particularly directed to the' adjustments of the machine by means of which either diiierent size pivots may he accommod'ated or adjustments made to accommodate wear of 'the burriish'er. I

In the making of watches o'f thehigher grade, everything is done that is possible to reduce rr1c-' tion'. The degree of polish of the balance staff and the center and other pivots bears 'an impcrtant place in the'friction developed in-the runningof the watch. The more friction the more power'i's dissipated and,therefore, the'greater the size' of "the mainsprin'g to makeup for this dissipated power. Modern styles make it necessary ,fo-r the watchimanuiacturer to' use the smallest possible m'ainspring "and the amount of power that can be-saved "or eliminated by overcoming frictional loss'es may mean the difi'erence between a w'a'tch tha't sells "and one "which does not.

The-object of thepres'ent inventionis to provide "a machine which passes through a single cycle of-operation and "stops, it beingnecessary to manually insert'the workpiece and to manually start the-machine for eachworkpiece.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide 'arn'achine which will consistently polishall pivp'tsalike. I

The 'present method of. polishing is 'by hand and depends a-great deal on the skill and experience of the operator. As Skilled factory help is among the highest paid, any factor which eliminatesthe human skill is of great value to the industry.

It' 'is 'a 'stillfur'ther object "of the presentinvention to remove the element of'judgment from the operator'in theuse of a-semi-automaticmachine which having once been started on a *cycle of operation continues and'stops after completing the operation.

levers 3 It "is *as'till further object of the present invention to provide a semi-automatic machine "which through adjustments produce a high quality bearing sur'face while at the same time hold a tolerance of M mof an inch in the finished product.

With'the'foregoing and other objects in'vi'ew," the invention resides in the novel arrangement and combination-of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter describedand-claimedit being understood that 'changessin'the precise em-- bodiment of the invention :herein 'describedmay beim'ade'within the scopepf'whatis claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention;

The invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which: 1 Figure 1 is a perspective view looking .from above'the machine. 1 Figure 2 is a top plan view :of a. portion of the the machine, omitting the :driving ..means.' Figure 3 is an'enlarged perspective view otth'e burnishing wheel and the pivotholder.

Figure 4 is a greatly enlarged view o'fs-one type of pivot which is polished byrthemachine. Figure 5, is a detail of the startingleven.

Figure 6 is a cross sectionalrview, with. thelbure m'shing wheel missing, of the .pivotedirame-which supports the burnishing'wheel.

Figure '7 shows the locking mechanismiorithe starting lever and the cam for releasing said mechanism.

Figure 8-is adetail of the adjustable cam which controls the period of polishing.

Figure!) is a plan of theworkpie'ce in supported position. I w Referring particularly to Figures land 2, ':the machine is supported one base 8 which ahas mounted at the rear thereof a partition 9:.si1pporting .two sets of bearingsil'll and L inwhich is journalled a drive shaft I12. Aslow speedrmo tor i3 is connected through-a gearingzarrangement to a pulley I4 driving a belt l5 andcapulley lfi'which is keyed to the shaft [2.

.A stepped'pulley I! is mounted on the shaft l8 and is connected to the drive shaft 1'2 througha cone clutch l3. Carried adjacent'thebearing l fl I is a cone brake 20- which is adapted to engage the-stepped pulley H to afford controll'ed stopping of said pulley. Fixed on a shaft 2 is a second stepped pulley 22 whichiis connected to the first stepped pulley bya belt 23 and 'drives a gear .24 (see Figure '7) which is mounted ingthegear-hou'sing 25. Meshing withthe small gear 24 and also mounted within the gear housing25is "a. large gear'ZB which rotates a shaft z'loarrying a cam 28. The gear box 25 and the shafts 21 *and 21 are mounted in bearings carried in upstanding partitions.

The starting leverifi (seje'Figu-res 1, 2 and?) is pivotally mounted to thebase at 30 and eittendsat one end into the gear housingZ-ES-and "at the other end extends toward the ba'ck ofthe machine Where it is'connected to a'line :3Ijoperated by a foot treadle (not shown). The depression of the foot tread-1e swings the'lever 2'9 bringing the end 35 into engagement with the notch 38 of the latch 33. A spring 32 normally exerts an upward force on the backward extending end which is resisted by a latch 33 held in operating position by a spring 34 against the end 35 of the starting lever extending into the housing 25. Referring particularly to Figure 7 in which the mechanism is shown in operating position and just before the cam 28 engages the cam follower 36 of the latch 33 to release the starting lever 29 (which stops the cycle). At the instant of starting the mechanism, which will be hereinafter described, rotates the shaft 21 and the cam 28. A single rotation of shaft 21 (which is a complete cycle of operation) brings the cam the burnishing head 50.

28 into engagement with the follower 36 re-' leasing the latch 33 allowing, the lever 29 to swing about the pivot under the influence of the spring 32.

Referring to Figures '1' and 5, the movement of the foot treadle depresses the backward end of the starting lever causing the screw stud 'follower 39 and the clutch lever 40 to move at its downward'end to the right, the screw stud following the-slanting face 4| of the starting lever 29. The lever 40 which is pivoted'at 42 moves the shaft I8 and its accompanying drum 43 into engagement with the cone clutch I9 and simultaneously'out of engagement with the cone brake 20. This immediately causes rotation of the shaft I8 and its mounted pulley H, the belt 23, the pulley 22*and the gearing 24 and 26 in the housing 25.

The shaft 21 whichis journalled in the partitions-44 and 45 is turned through the gears 24 and'26 moving the cam 46 to permit the cam follower 41 to lower the arm 48 about the shaft 49 into the position shown in Figure 6, bringing the polishing wheel 50 into operation position.

The polishing wheel 50 performs three operations, that of cutting, polishing andburnishing. The cutting amounts to a removal of .0002 of an inch to .0008 of an inch. This cutting is very critical as the tolerance on these pieces is plus or minus .00005 of an inch. At the same time'the wheel 50 cuts, it burnishes and polishes the surface both of the axis of the pivot and the shoulder which absorbs the thrust'of the bearing. It is extremelyimportantthat the size be perfect and the :finish be as highly polished as possible.

The arm is pivoted on the shaft 49 and supports the shaft 5| in quill 52 which is mounted in the supports 53 and 54. A'hand'wheel 55 threaded on a pivoted stud 56 moves the upper support 53about the pivot 57 to firmly hold the, quill. 52- against the lower support 54. This construction allows removal of the polishing headfor refinishing of the polishing surface. A-pin 54' is fixed in the support 54 to preposition burnisher 50 after sharpening and to align the oil hole 53 with an oil hole (not shown) in the quill of the burnisher 50.

-. The shaftZ'I (see Figure 8) carries a cam 58 made up'of a pair of plates 59 and 60 having at its "upper extremity with a rounded end 69 engaging the collar 10 carried on the sleeve 1I. Downward movement of the cam follower will move the sleeve II to the left (see Figure 1) bringing the cone clutch 12 into engagement and simultaneously releasing the cone brake I3. This action results in the simultaneous rotation of the pulleys I4 and 15. The rotation of the pulley I5 rotates pulleys I0 and 11 through the respective belts 18 and I9. The pulley 11 mounted on shaft 5I is the operating pulley for The method of driving the pulley 11 through the pulleys 16 allows the burnishing head to rotate while the arm 48 is swung about the shaft 49 through the action of the cam 46 and its follower 41 so that the raising of the brunishing head from the work has no effect on the rotationof that head. Driven simultaneously with the pulley is the pulley 74 which drives by means of a belt 80, a pulley 8|. An idler pulley 82*is vertically movable in the standard 83 and regulates the tension in the belt toinsure against slippage of said belt.

The forward portion of the base 8 (see Figure 6) is grooved at 84 to receive the slide'85. The groove is provided with a movable gib 86, adjusted and held in position by'the set screw 87. A stop 88 is located at one end of the slide and provided with a set screw 89 and a lock nut 90 to control the travel of the slide which posi-. tions the work face in relation to burnisher.

The slide 85 supports generally the mechanism for holding and rotating the workpiece and is moved in and out of position through the medium of a bent lever 9| (see Figures 1 and 2) which is pivoted at 92 to the 'base and rounded at one end'as at 93 and provided at the other with a cam follower 94. Theend 94 of the lever is acted upon by the raised portion 95 of the cam 96 moving the lever in a clockwise direction to push the slide against the action of springs. 91 toward the left. A fine adjustment screw 98 prepositions the slide and its carried workpiece in relation to cam 96, which as will be hereinafter pointed out is extremely critical as between the workpiece and the burnishing head. Adjustably mounted on the slide and removable therei with is a base 99 (see Figure 3), held in adjusted position by means of slots I00 and nuts I 0|. Carried on the adjustable base 99 is a block I02 which has a vertical bearing slide I03 mounted thereon. This slide is adjustable for height by a microscrew I04 which very accurately regulates the vertical position of a shaft I05, which is securely held in the slide I03. A lock nut I06 securely holds the vertical slide bearing against the block I02 in the desired adjusted position but permits a longitudinal sliding-movement of the shaft I05.

The end of the shaft I05 opposite the burnishing head is reduced to form ananchorage for a compression spring I01 which constantly urges the shaft toward the burnishing head bringing the adjustable stop I03 (shown on Figure 2) against the end of the lever I09. The compression spring I0! abuts against a shaft I I0 which is mounted in a bearing I I I and has an adjustable nut II2 by means ofwhich thepressure which forces the face- I I1 of the workpiece against the rim face II3 of the burnisher can be adjusted. The lever I09 which is pivoted at-II3 is formed with a cam follower H4 for contact withthe cam H5 to move the shaft I05 to the left, allowing work to drop out. i Rotatably carried on the end of the shaft I05 nearest the burnisher is the pulley 8 I. The shaft ac-rages "I05 isiformed' with an annular groove (see Fig ures) -I I8which receives a-screwpin llt carried by the'pullerto preventlongitudinalmotion of 'the' pulleyontheshaft. In one face of the pulley :and adjacent it's'peripheryis fixed a pin I which projects outward from the pulley parallel'to the The workr'iiece, which'is shown in Figure 4 about eighty times actual size, is theshaftfor the third wheel of a watch andis formed with the integral pinion I and the pivots I29 and I21. Generally. speaking an entire lot of staffs will be run through polishing the pivot I29 in one operation-and on a second run polishing the pivot I21,

the operating'finger I23 being adjusted if necessary.

Shaft I05 is lapped to re'ceive'an-inn'er removable-spindle I28 which receives one 'pivot'of the workpiece, the other pivot being-laid in a notch 129' formed in the holding piece I29. The workpiece .isthenmounted for free rotation in the bearings I28 and I29 and turnedentirely by contactkof the finger -I23 with the teeth of the pinion I25. y it :would'receive due to contact withgearteeth.

I The' slide 85 is in turn formed with a cross groove I30 in which is mounted a slide I3 I' which is adjusted by means of a microscrew I32. This accurately locates the transverse position of the plate I29 with respect to the spindle I28 of the shaft I05. Carried on thel'slide 'I3I is a support I33 to which is firmly screwed the plate I29. The support I33 is easily replaceable; to accommodate different size pivots beingpositionedby steady pins (not shown) and held firmly by screws. The apron I35 deflects the workpiece into a pan I39 upon. completion of the burnishing operation. Serving'as a limit stop for the burnishing wheel isa diamond knob I31 which is mounted on top o'f'a .threaded cylindricalrod I38 which is adjusted' by means of a microscrew I39 and locked firmly 'inladjusted position-bye set screw M0 passing through a hole MI in thesupport I33; A i peg I-42'is-carried on the slide-I3I to support and hold in position the workpiece receiving tray I36.

.qlhuse-astaff is taken froin the tray I43 with' the-tweezers and insertedin the dead center I29 of the spindle I23 and laid in the groove in the piece I29 so that the finger I23 fits between the teeth of the pinion I25. The starting pedal (not shown) is then depressed by the foot pulling the starting lever 29 about the pivot 30 into the position shown in Figure 7 so that the end 35 is engaged bythe latch 38 of the lever 33. Downward movement of the starting lever 29 (see Figure 5) causes the lever to move th'esleeve out of engagement with the brake 20 and into engagement with the clutch I9 causing rotation of the pulley I1 to be transmitted to the pulley22 and the shaft 21.

This presents the true rotation that i bring the burnishing wheel :into contact with the surface I21 ofthe workpiece.

Continued'rotation of the shaft .21 .allows the cam follower 194"(Figures 1,12 and 4) to -.drop:o'ff the raised's'urfaoe of the cam 95 permitting the slide 85 through theaction of thesprings- 91to move and come to rest: against. the stop screw-89 which positions the workpiece so that the shoulder H1 is in contact with the edge II='6 of the burnishing wheel. .This is done previous to rotation of the burnishing wheel orthe'workpiece. This-movement of the slide-85 by means .of the springs 91 brings the face I I1 of-theworkpieceagainst-therimface H5 of the burnisher, which forces the workpiece and its shaft carried spindle I28 toward the left against thessprin'gi I01. Thus the pressure between the face I I1 :01 the workpiece and the face IIE of the 'burnisher is governed by'the compression spring .101 which may .be regulated-byadjustment screw I12.

The "continual turning of the "shaft v21 565% Figure 8) rotatesthe cam 59 and moves ithecam followeri64 of thelever 65 to release-theshaft 1I from the cone brake .13 and into engagementxwith the cone clutch 1.2 which. simultaneously rotates pulleys .143 and 15, thusstarting rotation .of the burnishing wheel and'the workpieceat exactly the same time. i

Rotation of the .burnishing wheel is accom* plished through the belt 18,.pulley I9, belt :19fand pulley 11. .The rotation of the'workpiece. is :accomplished through the .pulley 1.4 turningrthe pulley 9i through the belt 80 which passes over the idler pulley 82. Rotation of'the-pulley 8I on the shaft I05 is transmitted by'the pin :I2I.'I to a driver element I2I .and through the finger I23 .to the'workpiece. The diameter size of'the pivot is controlled by an adj ustablediamond-knob. I31-tarresting .the downward movement of the burnish- .ing wheel. 1

Continued rotation of the shaft t21-allows'the cam ,followerifit to be engaged by the cam sure face .02, cam '59 moving the shaft 1I 'outxof envgagement with'the cone clutch 13 and into engagement with the cone brake 12, thus stopping rotation of the workpiece and the .burnishing wheelrat the same instant. The burnishing wheel now rests on the diamond knob I31 bearing :but

very slightly onthe surface I21 of the pivot. The cams I I5 and 95 contact the cam'zfollowersto move-the levers I09 and BI :causing thershaft I05 'to-bewithdrawnzfrom the workpiece. The work- Rotation of the shaft 21 moves the cam 40 out piece is now supported entirely by the weightv of the burnishing wheel overlying the surface1 21 of the pivot. The continued rotation'o'f shaft 21 .now brings the cam IIi into engagementwith the cam #1, thus lifting the arm 48 andthexattached burnishing wheel 50 into the position shown "in Figure 3 at which time the staff will fall being deflected by the apron I35 into the tray I36. Further rotation of the shaft 21 brings the cam 31 into engagement with the follower 36 releasing the lever 29 from the notch 38 and moving the.

lever 40 against the inclined surface II to move the shaft I8 out of engagement with the cone clutch I9 and into engagement with the brake 20. The cycle is complete and the machine ready for reloading and another cycle.

The machine is provided with numerous adjustments by means of which it may be adapted to handle pivots of different sizes, that is within limits. The burnishlng wheel must be removed periodically so that the carbide surface IIS and I44 may be refinished. This is done by using a diamond bonded grinding wheel to produce parallel cuts-on the surfaces I44 and 116' to provide a cutting and polishing surface,

The plate I29 must be occasionally removed so that the groove in which the pivot rests may be lapped for accuracy or it may be replaced by one having a groove of different size. Micrometer screws Miand I46 are provided in pairs to adjust the position of the burnishing head ,50 about the pivots I41 and 148 respectively. Set screws are carried in all positions to lock the members after the desired adjustments have been made. The machine does rapidly and accurately a job which heretofore has been a specialized hand polishing job which required a great deal of time and skill. It is readily adaptable for different size workpieces and they may be held to a tolerance of .0001 of an inch.

What is claimed is:

1. A semiautomatic pivot polishing machine comprising a base, a motor mounted on said base and serving as a source of power mechanism driven by said motor, manually operated means for starting a cycle of operation, mechanical means controlled through said operation for stopping said cycle of operation, means for mounting a stall between dead centers, a pivot polishing wheel adapted to be brought into contact with the pivot of the staif, means controlled in the cycle of operation for simultaneously starting rotation of the staff and the polishing wheel, means for simultaneously stopping said staff and polishing wheel and means for automatically discharging the staff upon the completion of the cycle of operation.

2. A semiautomatic pivot polishing machine comprising a base, a motor mounted on said base, a shaft continuously driven from said motor, pulleys mounted on said shaft, manually operated means for moving said pulleys into operative connection with said shaft, a cam rotated through said pulleys acting against said manually operated starting means to stop the rotation of said pulleys upon the completion of a single rotation of said cam, a workpiece, a polishing wheel adapted to be brought in contact with said workpiece, a second set of pulleys controlled through the operation of said first mentioned pulleys for simultaneously rotating the workpiece and the polishing wheel, means driven by said first mentioned pulleys for simultaneously stopping said workpiece and said polishing wheel whereby further movement of said first mentioned pulleys releases the workpiece from operative contact with said polishing wheel.

3. A semiautomatic pivot polishing machine comprising a base, a motor mounted on said base, a shaft mounted on said base and rotatably connected to said motor, pulleys carried on said shaft, means for operatively connecting said pulleys with said shaft, means for stopping said pulleys during the continuous rotation of said shaft, means operated by one set of pulleys through a complete cycle of operation, an arm pivotally mounted on said base, means for adjusting said arm either longitudinally or laterally of said base, a polishing wheel carried by said arm, a slide mounted for lateral motion across said base, a pair of dead centers carried on said slide, microscopic adjustments for positioning said dead centers for supporting a workpiece to be engaged by said polishing wheel, means for simultaneously starting and stopping said workpiece and said polishing wheel and means for urging said workpiece against said polishing wheel.

4. A semiautomatic pivot polishing machine comprising a base, a motor mounted on said base, a shaft continuously driven by said motor also mounted on said base, pulleys carried on said shaft, means for operatively connecting and disconnecting said pulleys from said shaft, a slide mounted for lateral motion on said base, a shaft carried by said slide and movable longitudinally thereof, a pulley rotatably carried by said shaft, means connecting said first mentioned pulley to said last mentioned pulley, dead centers carried by said slide and in longitudinal line with said shaft for supporting a workpiece, means connected to said shaft mounted pulley for turning said workpiece, an arm pivoted to said base, a rotatable polishing wheel carried by said arm, means operated by said first mentioned pulleys for pivoting said arm to bring said polishing wheel into engagement with said workpiece, means for urging said workpiece against said polishing wheel and means for simultaneously starting and stopping said workpiece andsaid polishing wheel.

J. E. RUSSELL MARKERT. J. DONALD SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Kaplan Dec. 3, 1946 

